Type
II HUNT Class
Escort Destroyer ordered with 15 others of
this Type on 20th December 1939 in
the War Emergency Programme. The ship was
laid down by Swan Hunter at Wallsend
on 21st December 1940 as Job No J4139 and
launched on 25th July 1941 as the
first RN ship to carry this name, that of a
Fox-hunt in Hampshire. Build was
completed on 2nd April 1942. After a WARSHIP
WEEK National Savings campaign in
March 1942 this destroyer was adopted
by the civil community of Ringwood,
Hampshire. She was transferred to the Greek
Navy in 1943 and renamed KRITI as shown in
the Chronology.

Part of escort for HM Battleship KING GEORGE V, US Battleship USS
WASHINGTON, HMAircraft
Carrier VICTORIOUS, HM Cruiser KENYA and US
Cruiser WICHITA to providecover
for transit of Russian Convoys PQ15 to
Murmansk and QP11 to Iceland.(Note: Part
of screen with HM Destroyers, ESCAPADE,
FAULKNOR, INGLEFIELD,MARNE,
MARTIN, ORIBI, PUNJABI. HM Escort Destroyers
BELVOIR, LAMERTON,MIDDLETON, US Navy destroyers USS MADISON, USS PLUNKETT, USS
WILSONAND
WAINWRIGHT.The US Navy ships had been lent to the Home Fleet following RN
losses earlier in 1942)

May

Home
Fleet escort duties in continuation.(Note:
HMS KING GEORGE V was replaced by HMS DUKE OF
YORK after being damaged ina collision
with HMS PUNJABI which was sunk).For details
of all Russian Convoy operations see CONVOYS
TO RUSSIA by R A Ruegg,THE
RUSSIAN CONVOYS by B Schoefield, CONVOY ! by P
Kemp and ARCTICCONVOYS by R. Woodman).

On
completion of work-up took passage to Clyde to
join escort for military Convoy WS 19

25th
- Deployed with HM Cruiser MAURITIUS, HM Sloop
MILFORD and HM Destroyer HURSLEYfor escort
of WS19 during passage from Freetown to Cape
of Good Hope.

26th
- Sailed from Freetown with WS19 as part of
Ocean Escort.

June

5th
- Remained with ships of WS19 for passage to
Durban when others detached to enterCapetown.

14th
- Passage from Durban with HMS BELVOIR to
rejoin WS19 during passage to Durban.

23rd
- Detached from WS19 and took passage to
Mombasa to refuel.

Transferred on loan to 5th Destroyer Flotilla in Mediterranean
and took passage to Alexandria.
(Note:
This change in deployment was made following
heavy losses and damage to ships ofMediterranean Fleet in defence of VIGOROUS convoy, defence of
Greece and Crete.)

29th
- Took part in bombardment of Abu Dabba and
received some damage in air attack.

September

Deployed
with Flotilla for Tobruk convoy defence and
support of military operation

14th
- Escorted Tug BRIGAND from Alexandria with HM
Escort Destroyer ALDENHAM to meetdamaged
cruiser HMS COVENTRY and damaged destroyer
ZULU on passage from Tobruk.
Established tow of HMS ZULU.Came
under air attacks during which HMS COVENTRY
was hit and sunk.Took
disabled ship in tow but this failed during
passage to Alexandria. HMS ZULU
sank in position 32.00N 28.56E.(For
details of this ill-planned operation which
met with determined opposition seeMASSACRE
AT TOBRUK by P Smith and above references).

October

Carried
out two diversionary operations in support of
Army advance.(Operations LIGHTFOOT and SUPERCHARGE - See OFFICIAL MILITARYHISTORY, MEDITERRANEAN (HMSO)

12th
- Took part in landing operation on island of
Zembra off Tunisia with HMS ALDENHAM and Greek
Escort Destroyer KANARIS (Ex HMS HATHERLEIGH).

Returned
to Malta with personnel captured on Zembra.(See THE
LAST DESTROYER by F A Mason).

June

Escort
and support duties based in Malta.Nominated
for support of allied landings in Sicily
(Operation HUSKY).(For details see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY, Naval Staff
History) and BRITISHINVASION
FLEETS by J de Winser

July

Joined
Support Force East for escort for assault
convoys and support of landings.Deployed as
part of Escort Group RPassage to
Alexandria.

6th
- Sailed from Alexandria as part of escort for
military convoy MWF36

7th
- Detached from MWF36 and returned to
Alexandria.

9th
- Sailed from Alexandria as part of escort for
military follow-up convoy MWS36.Detached
from MWS36 and took passage to SyracuseDeployed
for HUSKY support duties and convoy defence.

August

Flotilla
duties in continuation for HUSKY support.

September

Detached
for duty in LEVANT HUNT Flotilla for support
of military operations in Aegean tooccupy
islands after surrender of Italian forces.(Note:
Italian troops formed the garrison of Leros,
Cos and other islands. The German theatrecommander was determined to hold these islands by sending German
troops by sea to takeover their
defence).

Deployed for defence of convoys taking troops to Aegean islands
and for patrol to interceptinvasion
craft.Based at
Alexandria.

October

Aegean
support in continuation.

16th
- Sailed from Alexandria as screen for HM
Cruiser AURORA with HM Destroyers PENN,JERVIS, and
Greek Escort Destroyer MIAOULIS (Ex HMS
MODBURY).Carried
out interception patrol off east coast of
Kalymnos and Leros with Greek MIAOULIS.Engaged Italian E-Boats and Sloop off Port Akti, Kalymnos sinking
UJ2109 (Ex HMMinesweeper
WIDNES) used for escort duties.Came under
air attack and escaped without damage.Landed
stores at Leros.

On
completion
of work-up for service at Alexandria took
passage to Algiers.

1
9 4 4

January

Deployed
for
convoy escort from ports in North Africa to
Naples in preparation for plannedallied
landings at Anzio.(Operation
SHINGLE - see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY,
Naval Staff Historyand BRITISH
INVASION FLEETS by J de Winser for details
of all ships involved.).

Nominated
for
service with Southern Attack Force (X-ray)
under US Navy command forsupport of
landings by US VI Corps.

Deployed
for
defence of military convoys and gunfire
support of SHINGLE landings

March

Resumed
Flotilla
duties based at Algiers for convoy defence and
patrol in central and
easternMediterranean.

April
to June

Flotilla
duties
In continuation.

July

Nominated
for
support of planned allied landings in South
France under US Command.Prepared
for support operations.(Operation
DRAGOON - See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY, INVASION OFTHE
SOUTH OF FRANCE (HMSO) and
BRITISH INVASION FLEETS.).

Transferred
to
British Aegean Force based at Alexandria for
support of military operations tore-occupy
Aegean islands and Greek mainland.(Operation
MANNA - see above references and
MEDITERRANEAN AND MIDDLE EASTMILITARY
HISTORY
Vol VI (Part D) (HMSO).

Deployed
for
interception of German evacuation craft.Deployed
at Athens after allied entry.

November

Transferred
to
Greek 12th Flotilla at Piraeus.Deployed
for
support of military operations and convoy
defence.

December

Military
support
operations deployment in continuation.

1
9 4 5

January
to
March

Deployed
in
Aegean and Greek coastal areas for convoy
defence and support of militaryoperations.

HMS
HURSLEY remained with the Royal Hellenic
Navy as HHelMS
KRITI until 12th December 1959 when she
reverted to RN control and was placed
on the Disposal List. The ship was sold for
breaking-up in Greece on 27th April
1960 and towed to ship-breakers later that
year.